BMW 330d News

Announced today by BMW Australia, the pricing and specification revisions include the addition of added standard features and the lowering of the price of many options offered in the Sedan and Touring variants of the 3 Series. But with the revisions comes an increase in the initial purchase price of the 3 Series, these increases range from $1400 to $3000.BMW have also made various specification level changes, including the 'Business' grade navigation system as standard on the 316i, 318d, 320i, 320d sedan variants, as well as the 318d and 320i touring models. The 328i receives an upgraded body style, and a 'professional' navigation system complete with internet functionality.The 'Professional' navigation system now comes with a new iDrive controller, with touch functionality. Those who opt for the 'Driving Assistant' option now get a lane departure warning system.The BMW 'Lines' add-on package, with 18" alloys, now come at no cost on the 328i sedan and touring The 335i and ActiveHybrid 3 models also get the 'Lines' package as standard, as well as roller rear windscreen and door sunblinds. While all 3 Series Sedan and Touring models equipped with the eight-speed sports automatic transmission will now also include launch control as standard.BMW has also reworked the pricing of optional equipment, including; Optional equipment pricing has had an overhaul in the 3 series sedan and touring models. Active cruise control with stop and go function (not available for 316i and 318d) has benefitted from a $384 reduction.Similar revisions have been applied to the unique-in-segment Head-Up display with savings of up to $300, depending on the 3 Series model. A saving of around $460 is also available on the HiFi loudspeaker system or the high-end harman/kardon surround sound system as options for the 316i, 318d, 320i and 320d Sedan variants as well as the 318d, and 320i for the Touring models.The BMW ‘Lines’, price reduced on some models; no cost option on others. The M Sport package reduced by $615 for 316i and 318d; over $1000 for 328i and $500 for 335i and ActiveHybrid 3. Phil Horton, managing director of BMW Group Australia, says the changes enhance the value and credentials of the 3 Series.“The 3 Series is lauded for its excellent driving dynamics and beautiful styling, and now it boasts increased specification and more attractive option pricing. Who could ask for more?”The updates to the BMW 3 Series Touring models are effective from July 2013 production and from August 2013 for the BMW 3 Series Sedan range.BMW 3 SeriesBMW 316i Sedan            from $52,300BMW 318d Sedan           from $57,800BMW 320i Sedan            from $60,000BMW 320d Sedan           from $62,300BMW 328i Sedan            from $68,900BMW 335i Sedan            from $93,400BMW ActiveHybrid 3      from $99,700BMW 318d Touring        from $60,300BMW 320i Touring         from $64,000BMW 328i Touring         from $72,900Joel Helmes is the editor of the Behind the Wheel radio program, heard on more than 150 stations around Australia, and www.behindthewheel.com.au 

Kids aren’t usually a factor in Car of the Year judging.  But child friendliness rates highly with women buying cars – and with women judging cars.The countdown has been kicked off to decide the Women’s World Car of the Year, and the kid factor is one the judges pay a lot of attention to.“Statistics show that women drive children in cars significantly more often than men – and that means women need to take that into account, both when buying and as judges of cars,” WCOTY president Sandy Myhre said from New Zealand.“Any woman who has grappled constantly with child seats and belts and children considers those things when looking at buying a car.  Men might too but the fact is, women drive children in cars more than men.“Women would not consider that aspect in a Porsche 911 more than a bloke. The point is, it can be considered in these awards - and that is one of the points of difference in these awards.”Myhre points out that significant research into buying habits show that in addition to buying for themselves, women have a major influence in household purchase decisions for big ticket items.Ford Australia, for example, says their research shows that women are behind the majority of purchases of the Territory SUV – either as single women buying one, or in influencing the joint decision with their partner. “A report from Mattingly & Associates in Australia concluded, in part, that businesses that didn't understand this influence would be hard-pressed to stay in business.  That report was aptly called 'When I've Made Up Our Minds',” Myhre says.However, the kid factor is just one of the criteria by which the 2012 Women’s World Car of the Year will be judged.There are four categories in the Women's World Car of the Year – Family Car, Luxury Car, Sports Car and Economy Car. Points are allocated to each of ten criteria: driveability, engineering, comfort, child friendliness, style, interior, storage, dashboard efficiency, carbon footprint and colour range.The 20 judges from eleven countries have submitted their own personal short list and more than 300 cars were suggested. These individual choices were then whittled down to form a master list of 32 in terms of popularity. Judges will now allocate points for these cars from a criteria list.The announcement of the winning cars in each category and the supreme winner will be made before the end of March. The supreme award trophy and category certificates will be presented to the car companies concerned at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2012 – the Paris Motor Show – in September. The supreme trophy will this year be made in The Netherlands. Category-winner certificates will be designed at Peartree Studios in Colerne, UK.The first winner of the Women's World Car of the Year was the Jaguar XF in 2010 and the trophy made in South Africa was presented at the Jaguar boutique showroom in Knightsbridge, London. In 2011 there was a dead-heat between the Citroen DS3 and the BMW 5 Series. The two trophies made in India were presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011. 

It has the raised seating position of  the larger 5 Series GT, as well as its two-tier rear hatch, as well as the aggressive new nose of the latest Three.

Thousands of production line workers form a guard of honour as the first of the sixth-generation Threes emerge into the light for the first time, and every member of BMW's board of directors fronts to sprout the message.What's clear is that BMW has spent big on a car that promises more luxury and comfort without losing the driving spirit that's come as standard in the 3 Series since its birth in 1975.It's not particularly adventurous in design, but the detailing is everything you expect.When we get behind the wheel we're expecting much more efficiency and technology, but still with the driving dynamics you expect in any new BMW.After all, this car has to work. Benz has just done a great job on a mid-life update of the C-Class that includes more than 1000 new parts, Audi is pushing harder and harder with its A4 and A5 models, and even Lexus wants more BMW buyers in its showrooms.So BMW is pushing back and hitting out with more technology, better value and a car that is sure to work for the vast majority of its existing owners and a growing group of cashed-up shoppers buying their first premium car in lots of new countries - led by China - which are joining the luxury class.The signature tune for the advertising campaign for the new Three sums things up pretty neatly: it's 'Dancing with Myself' by Billy Idol.

The latest Australia update to the BMW 3 Series is just weeks away but now Carsguide has updated pictures of its successor. The all-new Three comes in 2012 in Europe, with Australian sales the following year, and BMW is sticking with a familiar formula.Carparazzi pictures show a car which is clearly in the 3 Series family, but with a slimmer and more-toned look. Apart from improved cabin space the next 3 Series will be fitted with the latest of BMW's Efficient Dynamics equipment and is expected to be available for the first time as a full hybrid.

Two years ahead of its showroom appearance, the all-new 3 is caught for the first time outside BMW's development base at Munich in Germany.  The hand-built prototype carries heavy camouflage in the company's signature swirls, but it is still easy to pick the general shape and proportions of BMW's future best seller.The next 3 Series, coded E93, will be slightly bigger and much more elegant than the current E90. It picks up the styling direction of the latest 7 Series flagship, which has been smoothed and preened from the brutalism of the previous Seven.The upcoming E93 has typical 3 Series proportions, from its wheels-at-each-corner chassis layout to a short rear overhang and the C-pillar treatment with what BMW calls its 'Hofmeister kick'. Carparazzi pictures of the car show a widened grille and the same sort of headlamp treatment already seen on the Seven and expected on the upcoming 5 Series replacement, which will be on Australian roads in June 2010. At the back, the boot and light treatment is typically BMW with an L-shape to the lighting package.BMW insiders say the the plan for the next 3 Series will again see the coupe and cabrio models take a slightly different design direction from the sedan and wagon. The shift will include unique lamp packages with more body jewellery for the upmarket models.Like the 1 Series, the E93 has a flexible, modular mechanical platform which allows BMW to spin extra models with minimal time and cost penalties.The model lineup for the new 3 Series is still not clear, but is expected to include an active hybrid with a three-cylinder engine connected to an electric powerpack, with everything from special tyres to aero-tweaked wheels, brake-energy regeneration, engine stop-start system and a pre-heater for the engine, gearbox and differential to cut emissions through the critical first few minutes of any trip.

The BMW 3-Series convertible could save your life.

A growing number of prestige and sports cars are being repossessed from owners who cannot meet their commitments during the economic downturn.Finance companies and auction houses are reporting a massive increase in the number of seizures and sales, with some cars going for bargain prices.Exotic Ferraris are the first to go as the economic screws tighten, according to Pickles Auctions chief auctioneer, Steve Allen.Next week, Pickles will flog off more than $2 million worth of repossessed Ferraris, Aston Martins and Porsches at its quarterly luxury auction.It's the biggest collection of expensive European cars the company has put under the hammer in recent years.Allen has a late-model Ferrari 599 sportscar, worth more than $650,000 new, expected to fetch $450,000 next week while a $258,000 Aston Martin Vantage and Ferrari 360 F1 Spider is also up for grabs."We've definitely seen an increase in the repossession of $150,000-plus exotics," he said."It's not just the banks and repossession agencies, people are getting rid of these cars."Allen said the harbour city tended to have a higher proportion of Italian exotic sportscars but Melbourne also had its fair share that were being repossessed.He blames the economy and expects things to get worse."There's been a steady increase in repossessions in recent months," he said.Pickles will offer about 80 vehicles at its quarterly auction.Apart from the exotics, other luxury brands are on the block, with a big collection of Mercedes-Benz and BMW sedans."We have three high-performance AMG Mercedes cars on offer," he said."But there are also a lot of BMW 3 Series cars."Almost 70 per cent of all Pickles cars are repossessions.Grays Online auction house has also seen a doubling of exotic cars going through its business over the past six months.Altona-based ManheimFowles auction group also has a steady stream of luxury cars going through its gates.The company's chief executive officer, Scott Levy, said it was not just luxury cars."It's across the board," he said.Levy said many people were also deciding against a new car because of the economy and jobs downturn."There is no such reluctance about buying a used car. And it is not just in one state," he said."Demand is strong at all our auctions across Australia."Manheim Fowles' clearance rates are on the increase.The company handles more than 300,000 vehicle a year. 

The boom has been tipped after recent amendments to the luxury car tax and the introduction of new diesel fuels.The luxury car tax now has a fuel efficient car limit for cars that consume no more than seven litres of fuel per 100km. These green cars would not attract any luxury tax until a new higher threshold of $75,000.For example, the BMW X3 2.0d has dropped from $63,225 to $61,830, as it no longer attracts the luxury car tax.It is expected that the new tax threshold will encourage premium manufacturers, including Mercedes Benz and Audi, to rollout more newdiesel models, especially SUVs.Diesel vehicle sales in Australia have increased by 34 per cent since 2003.Private diesel passenger sales this year have risen 28.4 per cent to 16,376, while non-private passenger diesels are up 86.8 per cent to 12,250.SUV private diesel sales are up 24 per cent to 19,670 and non-private up 40 per cent to 24,780.Sales might have been even higher except that many of the modern frugal diesel engines are not suitable in Australia because our diesel fuel's sulphur content, until recently, could be up to an unacceptable 500 parts per million.By next year it has to be no more than 10parts per million, which is the standard to which BP Ultimate is produced.Oil companies are now starting to supply diesel fuel with the lower sulphur content and claimed improvements in performance and economy. Shell is already selling diesel restricted to less than 10 parts per million of sulphur and other suppliers will have to conform to that standard next year.BP Australia is also releasing BP Ultimate diesel after a successful trial of the fuel in Perth.The new diesel contains anti-foaming agents to stop frothing and smells when filling up. It also has less sulphur, allowing us to use the latest generation of European diesel engines.The BP Ultimate fuel was independently tested, with results showing better economy and fewer pollutants when compared with ordinary BP diesel. It was shown that with ongoing use, Ultimate diesel increased the power output of a passenger car by up to 8.3 per cent (average 2.8 per cent) compared with ordinary diesel.BMW Group Australia managing director Guenther Seemann says tax changes and the lower sulphur content will mean continued high sales of diesels and more diesel models being offered.He says they are now seriously considering bringing in the six-cylinder BMW 330d, with 180kW of power and 520Nm of torque, yet consuming only 6.8L/100km.So far this year 4055 BMW customers opted for a diesel, representing a 65 per cent increase over the same period last year. The proportion of diesel buyers has also grown from 19.6 per cent to 30.6 per cent of all BMW sales.BMW offers nine diesel models in Australia: 1 Series Hatch; 3 Series Sedan; 5 Series Sedan; X3 Sports Activity Vehicle; X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and X6 Sports Activity Coupe.Mercedes-Benz Australia president and CEO, Wolfgang Schrempp, says he expects the upward trend for diesel car sales to grow.Currently about 23 per cent of all Mercedes-Benz cars sold here are diesel and the figure is even greater for the Mercedes-Benz M-class off-roader. “The interest in diesel is not diminishing,” he says.“It's a question of the torque available in these cars. It's changing perceptions.”And Audi Australia have already said they will try to turn a provision in the increased luxury car tax to their advantage when they revamp their A6sedan and wagon range next year. Audi Australia managing director Joerg Hoffmann says they can use the “green” provision in the luxury car tax by having smaller diesel engines than offered in theA6 range: the 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI V6.Efficient cars, such as the A4 and A5, with the 3.0 TDI V6, are liable for the LCT only on the cost of the vehicle above $75,000.Volvo has announced that diesel fuel will continue to power its cars into the next decade despite it also having plans for more efficient petrol engines and even hybrids.